Met Police sergeant spared jail after filming woman in shower

The victim said she was ‘confused and shocked’ when she found Mr McNish attempting to film her

The 30-year-old is currently suspended from the Met Police (CPS)

A police sergeant from London’s Metropolitan Police, who used his iPhone to spy on a woman whilst she was showering, has been spared jail.

Detective Sergeant Benjamin McNish attempted to film a woman whilst she showered, but was spotted and caught when his victim noticed that a phone had appeared over the top of the door.

The victim, who cannot be identified, said that she felt “confused and shocked” when she caught the Met Police sergeant outside her shower on 18 February 2019.

The 30-year-old, who was staying in police accommodation for a course in Camden, attempted to film the woman, using his iPhone, through a glass panel which was installed above the bathroom door.

When the woman noticed the phone, she became concerned that someone was taking photographs of her and ran out of the bathroom in her towel to confront Mr McNish.

Southwark Crown Court heard that the sergeant had used the shower just before the victim, claiming that he had returned to look for his razor, which he said he had lost and had needed to use to shave before some work drinks.

He was apparently using his phone to do this as he is short sighted, calling the device an “extension of my eyes.”

Following the event, Mr McNish was arrested and suspended from the force, awaiting misconduct proceedings.

In June, he was convicted of one count of voyeurism and on Wednesday was handed a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, said the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

As well as this, he will be put on the sex offender’s register for a total of seven years and must complete a sexual offenders’ programme, attend rehabilitation and pay £750.

Detective Chief Superintendent Stephen Clayman of the Met Police, who runs the East Area Command Unit, said that Mr McNish’s behaviour was "unacceptable".

He said: “I would like to reiterate that this sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“It is right that DS McNish has been held to account for his actions as a result of this investigation.

“Although the offence was committed whilst off-duty, he will now face MPS misconduct proceedings. Consideration will be given to accelerating these proceedings.”

Following the verdict, Andrew Levin, from the CPS, said: “Benjamin McNish was a serving policeman who observed a woman showering without her consent for his own sexual gratification.

“This was a private act that McNish had no right to observe. He violated the victim’s privacy by spying on her in a bathroom. His actions were clearly illegal and wholly unacceptable.

“During the trial McNish claimed that he had just been using his phone to look for his razor by the sink, but the prosecution was able to prove to the jury that this was an absurd lie.”

Mr McNish comes from Benfleet in Essex, is married with two children and was promoted to the position of sergeant just three years after having joined the Met Police.